Leader's Parking Perks!

I would normally write this sort of Article on our Club Website, but why not give the wider readership of this Blog a bit of parochial news occasionally too?

Today GoldWings North West rode out to Sandbach, a self declared “historic” town in Cheshire which owes its recent fame to having given its name to what has been said to be Britain’s very worst Motorway Services.  We were there to take part in their annual Transport Festival, a static display combined with a Parade around the Town.

It’s a type of gathering which happens all over UK, attracting all sorts of proudly-owned vehicles from, in this case, steam rollers through classic cars to motorcycles and ancient push bikes.  At this Event there are no static-only displays; everything must take part in the Parade as a condition of admission.  So thankfully there were none of those chuffing stationary engines you see at some steam events.

After several days of sunshine, and warm temperatures for April too, it had been a surprise to wake up to cold, damp fog and less than 100m visibility, so the ride to our rendezvous at Lymm Truckstop (Junction 20 of the M6) was more than a little chilly.

Bill, on his diet again

Thanks to the wonders of CB radio Bill and I had had no difficulty making our own pre-rendezvous rendezvous as he rode past Junction 31 of the M6 before heading South to meet the others.  As we rode into the car park three GoldWings were already parked up; their owners (all lorry drivers) having very sensibly arrived early in order to go for a Trucker’s fry up breakfast.  Frank carries a wad of Vouchers for this purpose.  Every job has its perks.

It was temptingly close!

As Bill and I parked up I spotted another biker nearby, standing next to his Suzuki Something, looking distinctly chilly as he waited for his mates to arrive.  I felt compelled to suggest that he had the look of a man who’s bike had neither heated seat nor heated grips.  You can either be tactfully humble as a GoldWing owner or you can flaunt it;  I’ve had enough stick over the years from the riders of lessor machines to be inclined, when opportunities like this arise, away from humility towards something more like friendly patronisation.  Fortunately he could see the irony and smiled.

Inconspicously the most valuable bike present

But by the time everyone had arrived and the Truckers among us had emerged from the Cafeteria it was time to mount up for the relatively short journey to Sandbach.  By the time we got there the sun was shining brightly and it was warm enough for the jackets to come off.  The Marshals had directed us to park in a side street with a steep camber and crumbling, pot-holed tarmac rather than on the main drag this year but as you will see from the pictures this side street was not without its compensations and in the event plenty of spectators found us and admired the bikes.

With a bit of help from a Winger (not of our Club and sadly I failed to get his name to thank him publicly) whose trike was already nicely parked nearby we eventually got our bikes in some sort of order and safely on their stands.  Then we were off for a stroll around the Town to look as what else was on show, find a coffee and in my case a bacon butty.  At this stage Bill was sticking to his diet and adopted a somewhat pious and perhaps even smug air about my self-indulgence.

Cheshire Police's finest leading the Parade, Cadet Constable Sasha Price!

This is a much smaller and less specialised event than Tatton Park’s Stars and Stripes (early July) and perhaps because it’s relatively early in the Season it seemed to me to attract the real vehicle enthusiasts.  There were some really unusual vehicles as well as an exceptionally high overall standard of presentation.  All sorts and all parked cheek by jowel with just enough room in between to wander among them.  Happy nostalgic moments were passed wandering among them.  Part way through this meander Bill quietly slipped away.

Among them was a collection of three ex-police cars, all faithfully equipped with period police equipment as well as livery and blue lights – and it was nice to see with them an elderly Range Rover which is still is service with Cheshire Police (but I suspect in some reserve capacity) as well as one of their current Traffic Police fleet.

Thoughtful reflection?

The second most valuable motorcycle at the Event was almost certainly one or other of the GoldWings but the one you would have really had to dig deep to buy, in the unlikely event that it was for sale, would be the V Twin HRD, parked up relatively anonymously among other elderly bikes, resting one of its twin side stands on a block of wood.

The Parade was scheduled for 1pm but the Chippy alongside which we had been parked had nevertheless been very well patronised by the time we were called to mount up.  (Bill had of course fallen for temptation and sneaked away to eat a cheese and onion pie followed half an hour later by fish and chips.)

In front of the Parade was a real (but classic) Police Range Rover followed in line astern by the three ex-police cars, one of which was a retired unmarked police car, still with its covert blue lighting and it’s technical toys inside – all with their blue lights flashing.  And, a very nice touch,  in the real police car was a young girl wearing a police helmet.  Well done Cheshire Police for capturing the spirit of the occasion as well as policing the event effectively.

Wanabe's all, and conspicuously without hassle

Riding behind the Police at the Parade Speed of no more than 2mph (presumably based on what the Steam Roller could manage flat out) was a bit of a riding challenge and saw some of the old British bikes falling by the wayside, maybe over-heating.  But it was all well-intentioned, all done in good humour and the crowds were there to appreciate it.

Some of us stayed the course and others, including me, took an opportunity of an early exit to head for Knutsford Honda, our “home” dealership, just a few miles up the road.  There we had a friendly welcome and a brew – and I even took the opportunity of a short test ride on Honda’s new VFR1200.  Quite a bike it is too.

Next weekend after our Club’s monthly meeting we’re going to Lancashire Constabulary’s Ride Safe Back Safe Event on Blackpool’s Main Car Park.  And the weekend after that we’re with Knutsford Honda again at Northwich’s Thundersprint.  They are the Event’s Main Sponsor and at their request we’re filling their prime -position display area with Goldwings.  HondaUK’s big Exhibition Roof Unit, which we had at the 2008 GoldWing Light Parade, will be there to provide a privileged view of the Sprint Track.  Hopefully our sister club, GoldWings North Wales, will be involved in that one too.

I had the good fortune to enjoyed 200 miles of biking roads in the North Pennines and Lakes on a nice sunny day out during last week now that I’m retired and this was by no means the first of the year.  And yesterday was spent tinkering and polishing in the garage rather than battling the weekend traffic.  This was a very a  pleasant way to spend a Sunday.  I’m pleased to say that the 2010 Biking Season is  well under way.